Sep – Dec 2014
寓工 作於 娛 樂
At Work and Play
People
Places
participate
News Arrivals & Departures
New Horizons Europe Growing Urban Church
Get to Work Tune our Hearts
Bringing hope to hard places
We serve the church and seek to bring the gospel to all the peoples of East Asia. We help place Christians with professional skills in China and other Asian countries, and share the love of Christ with East Asians worldwide. Through God’s grace we aim to see an indigenous, biblical churchplanting movement in each people group of East Asia, evangelising their own people and reaching out in mission to other peoples.
UK NATIONAL OFFICE OMF International (UK) Station Approach, Borough Green Kent TN15 8BG 01732 887299 omf@omf.org.uk www.omf.org.uk DIRECTORS National: Peter & Christine Rowan Finance: Darren Wall Mobilisation: Lenore Gerschwitz (Interim) Candidates: Louise Barker Member Care: Beverlea Parkhill AREA MOBILISERS London Allen and Litsa McClymont 07532 053 956 london@omf.org.uk
From The Editor 2
A perceived sacred secular divide is not only a misunderstanding but also leads to missed opportunities.
London – Under 35s Philipa Kalungi 07804 918 707 Philipa.Kalungi@omfmail.com East Tim Jenkins 07557 237 039 tjenkins@omf.org.uk South & South East Andy & Jenni Stevens 01865 600 024 astevens@omf.org.uk
God graciously loans us our time, gifts and circumstances. Circumstances provide us opportunities to sow gospel seeds; work places create space to build relationships and may open doors cross culturally. A musical gift can serve the church and engage a community. Circumstances and gifts, together with the people we are and the time God gives us, form our own unique setting to serve the gospel. Thinking about what God has already provided for us to serve his Kingdom, might prove more fruitful than adding more things to the to-do list.
South West & Wales Charles & Liz Chalmers 0117 946 6211 cchalmers@omf.org.uk
Chris Watts Editor – chris.watts@omfmail.com
DIASPORA MINISTRIES Keith Wood 07971 418019 ask.diaspora@omfmail.com
North Song Tsai 01732 887 299 north@omf.org.uk Scotland Phil & Cathy Steed 0141 959 4180 scotland@omf.org.uk Ireland Nathaniel & Donna Jennings 028 9073 1266 njennings@omf.org.uk
Registered Charity England and Wales: 1123973 Scotland: SC039645 Company limited by guarantee England and Wales: 6541911 International Headquarters, 2 Cluny Road , Singapore 259570
People
Places
participate
News 4 Jussi and Arrivals 6 Riitta with their young Departures 8
New Horizons Europe Laurens is a 10 Bible school student Responding to the European church in Latvia. He wants to
Get to Work – Get to Mission Paul the Tentmaker
family have left their home in Finland to reach out to young people in a provincial town in Taiwan.
Inge from Denmark has just completed a year at one of our boarding homes in Thailand.
explore missions, and has shown an interest in East Asia. Pray as he tries to raise the funding for a shortterm trip.
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The Growing Urban Church 12 How do people plant churches?
Tune Our Hearts 18 God’s people have always had a song
Notes from Hokkaido Finding my place as a Christian musician
How to pray for the UK We need prayer
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Events 26 Finance 27
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TITUS
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People
News Selected snippets from OMF's work with East Asians around the world.
Praying with Japan
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This summer a small team went on a prayer trip to Hokkaido, Japan. Maddy Griffiths and Angelo Lebrato were part of that team and share with us what they found: ‘Nishi Okoppe (that's “West Okoppe” to you and me) – a small town in Hokkaido only distinguishable from the places around it by the presence of the road signage. Cattle outnumber people three to one. Total population? About 1,300. So why is it worth your time? ‘One of the things that captivated me was getting the chance to speak with missionaries who have been in the country for more than 30 years, people who in their 20s gave up their comfortable lives to serve the Japanese and are still crying out for their salvation. They are an example of discipline and persistence in what the Lord called them to do. ‘I'm convinced that prayer is the key for Japan. We met with pastors who have been praying for revival in their nation for 20 years. They believe that the prayers are going to be answered in their lifetime. Personally, I would love to see more people coming for prayer walks and short-term missions, to encourage missionaries and to minister to the local people in Japan.’ Angelo Lebrato
‘Try to find the place on a map – you will struggle. In this tiny town, one couple faithfully share the gospel with their community through traditional Japanese arts such as the tea ceremony, ikebana (flower arranging) and karate as well as reading to local children and working with a mums and tots group. They have, as yet, seen only one person come to Christ but they are hopeful and they continue. Stepping off the career ladder, and consequently living on a reduced income, they have faithfully freed up time from their working lives for Christian outreach. These are not foreign missionaries; they are local people who have continued in their witness for twenty-five years. Their faithfulness challenges many of us. ‘Prior to the Prayer Team's trip to Hokkaido I used to ask everyone to pray for Japan. After visiting towns like Nishi Okoppe, I'm now asking people to pray with Japan. There are local people passionately wanting to see salvation come to their towns and they pray persistently for Jesus to be made known.’ Maddy Griffiths hopes to be a long-term missionary to rural Japan.
Caring for Creation
New Website
You may have seen it already, but in case you haven’t; OMF has a new website. Behind the scenes, a team from across OMF has been working hard to decide what an OMF website should look like, what it should do, and who would be using it. Having reached some consensus it then needed to be built. For those involved it has been an exciting but exhausting process. We are thankful to those across world who have generously given of their time, expertise, energy and prayers. The beginning of this year brought a final big push to get the site ready for the world to see and use. Then, just one day after the launch it broke. Again members of the team worked hard, outside of usual office hours, to put things right. Now that it is ready, we hope that you find improvements to both the function and content of the website beneficial. We would welcome any feedback as the website is and will continue to be in constant development.
http://omf.org
webmaster@omfmail.com
Anybody who passes by the new OMF Centre in Switzerland will see the architect’s hand in the well-constructed building. Nobody would consider the notion that it all happened by chance – there is a ‘creator’ behind the building. The ‘creators’ behind it know that there is a God who made and cares for the world. Because God cares for the world, the ‘creators’ of the new OMF Centre wanted to use sustainable and clean building technologies. The solar panels produce warm water and enough electricity for the spacious office, the cafeteria and the energy needs for heating, air conditioning and lighting. Geothermal energy is used for additional warm water and heating the well-insulated building. The long-term benefits and savings from these energy sources will more than offset the additional costs for the installations. The savings of about 20t CO2 per year show care for God’s creation. It is part of the testimony that Christians care for what God cares for.
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People
Arrivals David and Ruth Gould What is your current ministry? Creation Care Advocate and International Buildings Consultant.
Highlights of the term? Developing OMF's creation care theological statement and policy documentation. The Lausanne conference on creation care and the gospel in Manila.
What can we pray for in your field? 6
The OMF IHQ in Singapore is starting to prepare for changes following an organisational review of OMF. It will become the International Center, focusing on providing services for the OMF fellowship. Pray for good continuity of IHQ's ministry at a time of many comings and goings.
When are you returning and where will you based? After almost 12 years in Singapore, we will return to Bristol in August.
What can we pray for your future? Pray for us as we say our goodbyes in Singapore and move back to Bristol. Pray for our ongoing ministry with OMF: David will continue to advocate for creation care integral mission and to work on a number of building projects for OMF; Ruth will explore possibilities for working with the OMF team in the UK.
Jo達o Pedro de Carvalho Neto What is your current ministry? My current ministry is in Tokyo, Japan and is called YouFo Ministry (Youth Focus). We work with a local church outreach (Gospel Church Tokyo) to train youth and young adults through friendship, performing arts and Hip-Hop dancing.
Highlight of the term? It is so hard to highlight just one thing of my first term; it was four years of such an amazing and blessed experience. I've learnt so much from God and his people here in Japan. But the highlight of my term was all the new friends I've made, precious!
What can we pray for in your field? Please pray that a new generation of Japanese people will realise who they are in Christ. Pray they would know how to bless their generation using the gifts God has given them.
What can we pray for your future? Please pray that I won't be worried about the future, especially financially, I should trust God's promises today because all I do is for him and him alone. I didn't choose Japan, God chose Japan for me. Thank you for praying.
When are you returning and where will you be based? I return to the UK on 18 August for three months and will then be in Brazil for six months. In the UK I will be based in Preston, St Cuthbert's Church, and in Brazil I will be back in my hometown, Uberlandia. If God wills, I hope to return to Tokyo May 2015. If you would like to know more about our ministry in Japan and my home assignment please contact me: jpcdance@hotmail.com www.vimeo.com/omfjapanyoufo
James and Charley Ballinger
Chris and Sarah Keiller
What is your current ministry?
What is your current ministry?
Serving with Pastor Kondo in Morioka Bible Church. The church has been a hub for relief work on the coastline affected by the 3.11 Tsunami; we have been involved in Bible teaching ministry and discipling church members.
We have been partnering with the Singburi City Church, with a focus on a new church plant 30 minutes south of Singburi. Our main roles have been working pastorally with new believers, and building relationships within the wider community.
Highlights of the term?
Highlight of the term?
Seeing the power of God’s word working in people – even when taught in simple, inelegant Japanese! It was a thrill to see prayers for the local IFES group answered. The group was forced to close two years ago as all its members graduated. Last month, 14 gathered to study the word, over 10 of the 14 were non-Christians.
Seeing new believers growing in their faith, and becoming a committed part of the local church. The baptism of eight new believers in April 2014 was a particularly joyful event!
What can we pray for in your field? There is a chronic shortage of men willing and able to give themselves to the work of full-time pastoral ministry. Pray that the Lord would raise up the next generation of workers.
When are you returning and where will you based? We leave Japan on 13 June; after some ministry and holiday in Singapore and Indonesia we will touch down in the UK 6 July . We will be based in South-West London from 1 August.
What can we pray for your future? From the summer of 2015 we will join a young church plant, Grace City Tokyo, to take responsibility for launching and heading up the Samurai Project – an apprenticeship scheme with a vision to raise up Bible-teaching servantleaders for Japan. Grace City meets in downtown Tokyo very close to Tokyo Station. We are very excited about Samurai project’s aim, but we will need tons of wisdom and also buckets of cash – please pray for God’s provision.
What can we pray for in your field? Praise the Lord for the Singburi church! Please pray for the Singburi Christians to remain dedicated to sharing the Gospel in unreached areas, and for more workers to help disciple those who believe.
What can we pray for your future? We will have our first baby in November. Please pray for a God-centred and fruitful home assignment, and that we would be able to return to Thailand, if it is the Lord's will, for September 2015.
When are you returning and where will you based? We fly back to the UK on 8 September, and will be based in Belfast – though we also hope to spend time in Germany (Chris' parents) and our last month in Australia (Sarah's parents).
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People
Departures
Mark, Sarah, Grace, Isaac and Caleb Gelsthorpe
Destination Japan Designation Church Planting Starting July 2014 Sending Churches Emmanuel Church, Canterbury and Glendale Church, Newbury
Mission Journey
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We met at Durham University and this is where our heart for mission, particularly among the Japanese, began. We were both involved in outreach to international students, the majority of whom were Japanese. We both did short term mission trips as students but when we left university the thought of long term mission seemed to be pushed to the back of our minds. We got married, bought a house, our first child Grace was born and even though we were still involved in international outreach, we really felt as if we were putting roots down and settling in this country. This changed when we bought our family home in Newbury and felt as if we were in the 'wrong' place, that this is not where God wanted us to be. We decided to do a short-term trip to Japan in 2009 as Sarah had not been to Japan before and to see whether this is where God was calling us. At one point during the trip Mark decided he never wanted to set foot in Japan again and Sarah couldn't wait to go back! This was confusing for us, but once we had reflected, prayed and talked things through with others we felt a real confirmation that God was calling us to serve him overseas. So, back in Newbury, Mark left his job and we moved to Canterbury where Mark studied at Cornhill in London part-time and worked for Emmanuel Church part-time. One of our greatest concerns has been 'how on earth do we raise the money to go to Japan as a family of five?' We have seen God's amazing faithfulness and provision for us as a family over the last three years since giving up secular jobs and have been overwhelmed by God's timing and generosity that all of our needs have been provided for.
Andrew Destination Designation Starting Sending Church
John and Chin (aka Rebekah) East Asia Language Study July 2014 Redhill Baptist Church, Surrey
Favourite meal? I don’t really have one, I just love eating!
Mission Journey It’s been over ten years now since God first called me to go to East Asia; after a long journey of planning and preparation I am finally ready to go. I grew up in a Christian family and made a personal commitment at the age of 11. However it was at university that I really developed a sense of my own identity in Jesus. As I came towards the end of my time at university, and was wondering about what to do with my life, I prayed asking God to show me where he wanted me to be and what he wanted me to do… ‘I don’t mind what or where it is, but please let me know what it is.’ Well, he answered, and not at all in the way I expected! Since that time, he has grown in me an interest in and love for a particular people group, and has brought me now to the time that I can go and begin to learn from and to serve those people. I’m looking forward to beginning to learn the language and culture, in the hope that long-term I can introduce people to Jesus.
Destination Designation Starting Sending Church
East Asia Working with Returnees July 2014 The Tsuen Wan Congregation of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, Hong Kong; Willowfield Parish, Church of Ireland; St Mary’s Parish, Ballybeen, Church of Ireland; Ballykelly Presbyterian Church
Mission Journey Our imminent departure for East Asia unites two threads in our lives that have been developing for many years: a God-given desire to minister to East Asians, and involvement in pastoral ministry. Both of these threads, in different ways, have been part of our lives for fifteen to twenty years. From before our first meeting we both felt a strong connection with East Asians and have spent significant periods of time living and working in East Asia. Rebekah is from Hong Kong. She greatly values her Chinese cultural heritage, and strongly identifies with God’s gracious purpose for others of similar background. I (John) first went to East Asia in 1991 due to a providential coincidence of interest and opportunity. Since then the region has frequently loomed large in my mind, even during long periods living elsewhere. Since the late 1990s I have also been closely involved with the Church of Ireland, firstly studying in the Church of Ireland Theological College, then serving pastorally in parishes. The opportunity to minister to new Christians returning to East Asia combines these two strands into one. We hope to encourage new Christians to grow in their faith, and to become integrated into a local church in East Asia. At an everyday level we are fairly ordinary. We both enjoy reading, listening to music, and walking. In an amateur way, we appreciate the bird life of both coast and countryside. We both especially enjoy the coastal scenery of Counties Antrim and Donegal. We hope that you will join with us in prayer for our progress in language study, and usefulness in ministry.
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Places
Guido Braschi
新領域
New Horizons – Europe Europe, the spiritually dead continent. Statistics suggest that there is little ‘spiritual life’ in many European countries (Operation World pp79–81).
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Most continents have registered a steady, sometimes dramatic growth in the number of believers over the last 50 years. However, the line for Europe appears to be flat. Yet, quietly, the Spirit of God has been at work. Over New Year 2013/14, more than 2800 young people from almost 40 European nations gathered in Germany for Mission-Net, a biennial European mission congress. As expected, there were several hundred young people from Germany and Switzerland present. More surprising, however, were the 400 from Italy, 200 from France and almost as many from Austria. Countries like Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Poland and Portugal were all represented.
What’s been happening? While churches in many traditionally protestant countries have been on the decline, there has been a steady growth in Eastern Europe. The fall of communism two decades ago brought a new freedom of religion, and the formerly persecuted churches could start to operate more openly. Faithful perseverance is now bearing fruit, the church is coming of age and having increasing impact on society. Evangelical churches in the countries of Southern Europe are also entering into a new era; missionaries have now handed the church leadership to local leaders. The influx of immigrants from countries like Brazil, Nigeria, Philippines and China have had a
Inge from Denmark has just completed a year at one of our boarding homes in Thailand.
positive impact on churches. These churches are now asserting themselves in a positive way. No longer a minute minority, they are making their voices heard with bolder proclamation and a desire to be involved in missions. Romania, Ukraine and Italy now have a large and growing evangelical population. Believers from these countries are quickly expanding into a new and dynamic mission force. Initially it was mission to the neighbouring countries, but now they are beginning to look further afield. In OMF, we have been getting inquiries from young people from all corners of the continent, inquiring about short- and long-term possibilities in East Asia; we want to be available to those whom God has called. A new unit called ‘OMF New Horizons’ has been created for that purpose. It seeks to partner with local mission organisations in countries where OMF doesn’t have an existing presence. This might be more straightforward in Scandinavian nations where there has been a long-standing mission tradition, but more complicated in countries in Eastern and Southern Europe, where there are few mission organisations that have the experience of sending people. OMF New Horizons hope to work with the local believers, to create a mission infrastructure that produces appropriate media and helps with the practical and legal aspects of sending people to join teams in East Asia. Here are some of the local believers OMF are working with. Please pray that OMF New Horizons would continue to support individuals and groups who have a heart for mission in East Asia.
Jussi and Riitta with their young family have left their home in Finland to reach out to young people in a provincial town in Taiwan.
Laurens is a Bible school student in Latvia. He wants to explore missions, and has shown an interest in East Asia. Pray as he tries to raise the funding for a short-term trip.
Dimitri and Viktor are students at Kiev Evangelical Seminary. Dimitri senses God’s call to serve him in a Buddhist country; whereas Viktor feels drawn to China. Finances are the big issue, but it looks like a church in the USA may be willing to help sponsor them.
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Yuliana from Slovenia heard God’s call to serve him among Chinese people when she was converted at the age of 14. She has since served short-term in Taiwan and is preparing to go long-term.
Lenka, 19, from the Czech Republic helped with childcare at Orientation Course in Singapore last year. She is now praying for her next mission involvement. Cornelia from Austria is only 18. She is almost ready to go to Thailand for two months, to help with childcare and be an assistant at a team centre.
Places
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匯 報 — 增 長中 的 都 市教 會
Report – The Growing Urban Church
Josh Kinghorn In the western world, church planting tends to run by an established model. But have you ever wondered how churches are planted in countries without a model to follow? What about in countries without an established church tradition? How do you start a church when most of the population has little or no Christian connection? In East Asia, one OMF couple got the opportunity to be part of a new church plant. Of course, they did not realise it at first. The pastor of a small local church approached the couple to help some young members of his small church start an English club. They hoped that the club would be a stepping-stone to bring people into a new Bible study they were starting about the same time. Once a week, between eight and nine young Christians from the church would meet with the OMF couple to learn English at the club. Local Asian people hoping to learn English began to join the group. The opportunity to learn English from a ‘white face’ was just too good to ignore. The session followed a regular routine. The OMF couple would give a talk lasting between 15 and 20 minutes on any topic that prompted discussion. They spoke about all sorts of things; the nature of love, the meaning of Easter, and even physics got a mention! Next, those attending broke into smaller groups to discuss the topic, where they had a chance to practice their English. One young Christian would lead each group, directing conversation and making friends with the non-Christians attending. Not only did the smaller groups provide a way for relationships to develop, but the discussion topics lent themselves towards allowing Christians to share their faith.
The group was so successful that they decided to start meeting on Sunday afternoons, as well as midweek. The Sunday meetings were still English lessons, but they also began to take the form of Bible studies. The non-Christians attending had the chance to develop their English while discovering more about the faith the young Christians had shared during their discussion times. Through these Bible studies, the English club members started to give their lives to Jesus. As more and more people became Christians, the Bible study developed into a Sunday morning meeting. It was the start of a new church. Who would have thought that God would use an English club to start a new church? Today, the club has evolved into a church of about 250 students and young professionals led by a permanent local pastor. They even have their own building! The OMF couple who were part of the English club are members of the church, working under the leadership of the local pastor. The English club still runs, now with about 60 weekly attendees. An OMF worker estimates the English club has seen about 1,300 people come through its doors, many of whom have came to faith in Christ and attend the church. God can use anything to grow his church.
Who would have thought that God would use an English club to start a new church?
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participate
Peter Rowan
到宣 教 工 場 上 班
Get to Work – Get to Mission Millennials, we’re told, expect to remain in a job for just under three years. That could mean 15–20 jobs in a working life. For many, job-hopping is a strategy to gain more experience, and part of the search for greater job fulfilment. 14
In the book, Work Matters, Paul Stevens says we need to consider the purpose of God for our lives right where we are, in the job that we’re doing, rather than view life as haphazard chance. With an Esther-like perspective, we’re to recognise that we’ve been placed in ‘such a place and time as this’. Work does matter, and it matters for mission. We must see beyond the unbiblical secular-sacred divide with its tendency to see ministry and mission as the stuff done by the pastor, evangelist, or churchsupported missionary. These ‘professionals’ are a small proportion of the world-wide church. The Cape Town Commitment encourages ‘all believers to accept and affirm their own daily ministry and mission as being wherever God has called them to work’ and recognises the need ‘to train all God’s people in whole-life discipleship, which means to live, think, work, and speak from a biblical worldview, with missional effectiveness in every place or circumstance of daily life and work.’ With a population of 2.15 billion, how are East Asians going to see and hear the gospel? One of the best places to rub shoulders with non-Christians is the workplace. This isn’t just about using a skill or profession as a ‘platform’ in order to do real ministry. This is about
valuing the work itself, doing a good job for the glory of God and integrating what we do in the workplace with how we live in the wider community and local church. The Cape Town Commitment urges churches ‘to mobilise, equip and send out their church members as missionaries into the workplace, both in their own local communities and in countries that are closed to traditional forms of gospel witness.’ Based on the Apostle Paul’s strategy, the ‘tentmaker’ model is one that’s been around for a while, but it hasn’t always been well integrated into the traditional mission structure. We use it in places where traditional missionaries can’t go, and the language of ‘platform’ and ‘vehicle’ is sometimes an indication of an inadequate theology of work. Michael Griffiths reminds us that ‘being churchsupported is a relative novelty of the past two hundred years, impossible until the development of international banking. Before that all missionaries had to support themselves…’ From the Jesuit Matteo Ricci who made clocks and maps and gave clavichord lessons in Peking, to the Baptist William Carey with his indigo plantation and college lecturing. As Griffiths says, ‘On the whole, nineteenth century missionaries were perceived by nationals to have other roles besides that of proselytising, and because of this they were probably more acceptable. The lack of a clear role constitutes a problem both for the missionary, and for the national observer trying to understand why this person is here at all!’
Four things about Paul the Tentmaker
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1 It was a matter of principle that Paul supported himself, rather than be a burden, or appear to be profiteering. (1 Thess. 2:9; 2 Cor. 2:17; Acts 20:33–34).
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Paul’s trade provided the context for whole-life discipleship. Paul brought the whole of his life under the Lordship of Christ: ‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord’ (Col 3:23). As a friend put it to me recently – words do not lead the way; we bring ourselves to people, our words and deeds emerging from our persons. It’s our Christlikeness that makes the difference and makes our witness authentic.
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天幕作りであるパウロについての４つの点 Although Paul didn’t practise his trade in every place, it provided him with a clear role and identity. He may be overstating it but R. F. Hock suggests, ‘far from being at the periphery of his life, tentmaking was actually central to it. … Consequently, his trade in large measure determined his daily experiences and his social status.’
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Paul’s trade provided him with missional opportunities. For instance, Ben Witherington suggests that Paul, aware that the Isthmian Games happened close to Corinth, knew that working in the city as a tentmaker (Acts 18:3) would provide plenty of work making tents for visitors to the games, giving him lots 3 of opportunities to share the gospel.
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Restless millennial? Thinking about the next job? Take a providential and missional outlook and read this from Chris Wright: There is no reason why far more Christian professionals should not make the effort of finding ways of using their skills to earn a living in countries where their presence can be a great encouragement to local Christians, or where they can live out the love of Jesus in situations where open evangelism is impossible. So, get to work and get to mission!
では、仕事を始めよ！それで伝道活動に赴きなさい！
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Celia Olson
Places
北 海 道 か ら の 便り
Notes from Hokkaido I studied cello at university; one motivation for attending seminary was to find my place as a Christian and a performing musician.
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During my second year of seminary, my brother invited my husband, Keith, and I, to attend a mission conference. At this point, we had no intention of being overseas missionaries; although we were looking for God's leading to serve him, we assumed it would be closer to home. When I met OMF missionaries Tony and Pat Schmidt at that missions conference, they said, ‘Oh, you play cello! We have a cellist in OMF Japan; she plays at outreach concerts at churches.’ That conversation helped to reconcile my calling as a musician with my calling to follow Jesus; I discovered that these two callings were not mutually exclusive. Fast forward a year and a half; we were serving under Tony and Pat as short-term workers in Sapporo, Japan. Invitations to play Christmas concerts started to come in. I wanted to accept, but I hadn't met any pianists willing to play the pieces I hoped to perform. One colleague suggested playing with a recorded piano track, but for me, the fellowship and cooperation of playing music with a friend was an end in itself. I continued to practise by myself while praying for a collaborator. Finally, in November, some missionary colleagues introduced me to pianist Shino Inoue, a member of their church. I was impressed by Shino's work ethic and her commitment to serving God through music. After a month of feverish practice, we managed to pull together three difficult cello and piano sonatas.
The final concert that season was possibly my best concert ever, with about 100 people in the audience. After our nine months in Japan ended, Keith and I returned to the US. Shino and I exchanged letters; we both hoped to continue playing together. More than anything, Keith and I wanted to return to Japan as long-term missionaries and the letters from Shino were a great encouragement during the waiting time. A little over a year later, Keith and I returned to Sapporo. I immediately reconnected with Shino. In my absence, Shino had been listening to recordings of cello and piano music; whereas before I had chosen all the music, this time, Shino had several sonatas she wanted to play. Before we received a single concert invitation, we had already started weekly rehearsals. Even with a busy schedule at language school, I looked forward to rehearsals. We often spent just as much time drinking tea and talking as practising. At first we mostly talked about music, but gradually we started sharing about our joys and struggles and praying for one another. Shino became more than just a colleague; she was a friend. We started working on the Schubert ‘Arpeggione’ Sonata, a difficult piece that Shino chose. I had wanted to learn it for a long time, but gave up because of the difficulty. Shino’s encouragement gave me the motivation to keep working on the piece even when I felt as if my practising was going nowhere.
We now find that, even if a Japanese person isn’t interested in Christianity, he or she may be interested in attending a concert. Our concerts give members of various churches the chance to bring friends who will then have a first contact with the church. Usually we play several cello and piano pieces and I give my testimony or a short message. Churches can make requests for certain pieces of music; sometimes we add seasonally appropriate songs. One highlight was an Easter concert. Shino and I told the Easter story interspersed with music we chose to fit each part of the story. The pieces of music served as pauses in the narrative, allowing the guests to reflect on what they had heard. Although we sometimes play concerts at our own churches, we often have opportunities to visit and support other churches. Most Japanese Christians spend their whole life at the same church, rarely visiting other churches; we have been blessed with the opportunity to share fellowship with Christians all over the island of Hokkaido. We plant lots of seeds, but we rarely hear about the fruit of our work. We pray for the concert guests and entrust the follow-up work to the host churches and the Holy Spirit.
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It was almost five years ago that Shino and I first played together. I thank God for giving me a wonderful colleague in bringing the Gospel to the Japanese people, and a means of serving using the gifts God has given us.
participate
調準心絃
Tune our Hearts 18
God’s people have always had a song. Christians are known for singing and have always sung.
What did the Israelites do when they crossed the Red Sea? They worshipped God through song. Think of the picture in Revelation, multitudes around the throne of Jesus singing, ‘Worthy is the Lamb!’ King David, a worshipper and musician, pours out his heart to God through song in the Psalms. God’s people have always had a song, a song of redemption, salvation and hope. God hears and enjoys the words we use. By his Holy Spirit he helps us to worship him, causing our spirit to cry out ‘Abba Father!’ When we sing to God, the truths written in the songs stay in our minds because of the melody. I love singing hymns. The depth of theology and beauty of the imagery in songs like ‘Come Thou Fount’ are stunning. I love singing songs about the gospel; the story of what Jesus has done for his people like ‘Saviour of the world’. I also love singing response songs to God, committing my heart to him afresh like ‘Lord you have my heart’.
What we sing when we are gathered together is important, it can inform our theology and understanding of God. What we sing can also raise our faith and trust in God. However, there’s one area of our Christian faith that doesn't get sung about very often. It’s such an important part of our faith that Jesus decided to speak about it as his very last words to the disciples. Any guesses? It’s mission! When I was working as a staff worker for UCCF: The Christian Unions, I led worship at their student leadership conference, Forum. I’d be able to find the celebration songs of praise and the songs of intimacy but it was so difficult to find good response songs about mission. I wonder if you’ve encountered the same problem before? For this reason I tried to write a song that leads us to mission, not out of a sense of guilt or striving, but out of a place of acceptance and love. It’s called ‘Jesus’ Name’. In John 20 verse 21, Jesus says to his disciples ‘As the Father sent me so I am sending you’. The Father
Olly Knight Name Olly Knight Occupations Husband, Father, Worship leader, Song Writer, Photographer Based Canterbury, Kent Website worshipjesus.co.uk
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has loved the Son with an eternal and perfect love. The Father sent the Son into the world out of a place of love and acceptance. The incredible thing in this passage is that just as the Father sent the Son from a place of love and acceptance, so the Son sends us into the world from that same place; we are loved and accepted by him. We have good news to share; we don’t operate on a heavenly commission for the amount of converts we make. Jesus has already done everything possible for us (and others) to come to know him. Not only this but the Holy Spirit is with us and works through us as we evangelise! The Trinity at work in our mission. That’s what this song is all about. In the bridge the lyrics paint a picture of our position in Christ, telling others about him ‘Just as the Father sent the Son into the world that he begun, so God sends us to do the same, to speak and live for Jesus’ Name’. In the chorus there is a sending, a commissioning for God’s people to sing together ‘We will tell the
world that ‘Jesus loves’, for he came to earth to rescue us. ‘Only Jesus saves’ we will proclaim. Come find love, come find peace, come find joy in Jesus’ name’. There is an invitation for us to hold out to those who don’t know Christ yet to come and find love and new life in him. I believe that we should be singing more about mission. So often during the week we will be singing the words we sung on Sunday in our heads (or sometimes out loud!) but unfortunately we often don’t remember nearly as much of the sermon. For this reason, the words we sing in our times together as a Church are so important. In our Churches let’s continue to sing of the greatness of our Saviour and our heart’s response to what he’s done, but also lets sing songs that send us out to make disciples of Jesus.
Listen to Jesus Name https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/jesus-name/ id628666624?i=628667172
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為英國禱 告
How to pray for the UK OMF’s work cannot continue without prayer. We need prayer, not just for those working in East Asia, but also for those working in the UK.
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Donna Jennings is one of our Area Mobilisers, based in Northern Ireland. Take a look at what Donna’s role involves and how you can pray for her and her colleagues.
What are Area Mobilisers?
Jesus commanded his disciples to ‘ask the Lord of the Harvest to send out workers into his harvest field’. It is this command that shapes the role of mobilisers. Our aim is to draw churches and individuals into the heart and vision of Jesus, to bring hope to billions of East Asians. We desire to show others the many opportunities for going, praying, sending and mobilising for East Asia.
How do they work?
Area Mobilisers’ work… with individuals– Much of our time is spent journeying alongside individuals who are interested in our work in East Asia. Pray for us to have wisdom and discernment to sense if, when, how and where God may be leading them. Pray for us to have patience and love in this often long and unwinding process.
with the local church– While OMF facilitates the placements of workers among East Asians we believe it is God who sends, through the local church. Pray for church leaders in the UK to have cross-cultural mission as a core priority in their church values. Pray for us as we interact with churches from a broad spectrum of denominations.
is in specific areas– Although we have the same goals and face the same challenges, each of us work in different areas. Pray for unity and a sense of team purpose as we work. Pray for quality teams of Bridge Asia workers to be raised up to multiply mobilisation work. Pray for the continued emergence and development of mission cells and prayer groups in each area.
is part of bringing the kingdom of God to East Asians– This can be easily forgotten on rainy days in cold UK cities. Pray that our mobilisation ministry would be fuelled by Jesus’ compassion for the lost in East Asia. Pray for sufficient resources and prayer support for each member of the mobilisation team.
is exciting!– Give thanks and rejoice with us as we see that the Lord of the harvest is calling and sending workers to bring hope to billions of East Asians.
Donna Jennings
Phil & Cath Steed
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Nathaniel & Donna Jennings
Song Tsai
Charles & Liz Chalmers
Tim Jenkins
Andy & Jenni Stevens
Allen & Litsa McClymont and Philipa Kalungi
Rob & Trudi Parkes (WEC International)
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四 十天小 品
40 Days 40 Bites: A family guide to pray for the world We live in an age of unlimited information. Christian adults are often overwhelmed by it. We can become torn over which country or world situation we should pray for. It even affects our children; they may start to pray for the world enthusiastically, but often give up after a short time. 22
I compiled 40 Days 40 Bites because I saw the need for something that both children and adults could use together to read about how God is at work throughout the world, and to find out what to pray for. With families praying together, children will persevere in prayer and become inspired as they see their parents engaging in world mission. The book contains 40 bite-size topics spread over 96 pages. It covers 20 different countries, including Algeria, China and North Korea, as well as issues such as poverty, clean water and translation. Each topic is presented on attractively coloured pages illustrated with photos and maps. There are Bible verses, information, fun facts and simple prayer points presented in a fresh style. Short stories and testimonies are included from missionaries who are currently serving God in different countries. These accounts bring the pages to life with what is going on in the lives of real people around the world. The book can be used to pray for 40 consecutive days or used weekly by choosing one special day per week. I pray the book will be a tool that can open people’s eyes to what God is doing throughout the world, and challenge them to come before God and pray. I hope it will provide fuel for families to pray and that it will inspire the next generation to get involved in world mission.
Trudi Parkes, WEC International
£4.50 To purchase– Online https://ukshop.omf.org/ Phone 01732 887299
Josh Kinghorn
宣教人物 – 提多
QUESTIONS.
Missional Characters
Read Galatians 2: 1–10
Introducing Titus – Titus became a Christian after hearing Paul preach the Gospel. He was a Gentile, and as such was uncircumcised. At this time in the church’s short history the decision to remain uncircumcised was controversial, and launched Titus right into the middle of an important debate. We then see Titus continue his journey with Paul, being instructed to deliver a letter to the Corinthians. In the book of Titus we find he is key to helping the church in Crete grow in strength. From the way Paul spoke of Titus to the work Paul commissioned him to do, it is evident that Titus had a character perfectly suited to partnering with the growing church. Can you identify what made Titus a great partner for the church in Crete?
‘But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was Greek’.
Why did Paul take Titus to Jerusalem? What do you think Titus’ decision not to be circumcised, even when pressured by 'false brothers, shows about his character?
Read 2 Corinthians 7: 5–16 ‘But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus’
What characteristics of Titus does Paul talk of in 2 Corinthians? We learn from 1 and 2 Corinthians that the church there faced many problems. Why do you think Paul chose to send Titus as his representative to face these problems?
Read Titus ‘The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished’
CRETE
クレタ島
TITUS
Why do you think Titus was chosen to ‘straighten out’ the church? What have you learnt about Titus from past passages that make him suitable for this job?
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連接
亞洲
Bridge
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Asia
In the May–August edition we had the chance take an in-depth look at Mission Mentor Bridge Asia, specifically A Mission Mentor has a what it means to be a Mission desire to mentor others on their journey into Presenter. Now we get the mission, whether shortopportunity to highlight term, long-term, at home two more Bridge Asia roles: or away. This person has Mission Mentor and Prayer experience in mentoring. Groups Coordinator. They are willing to walk alongside people who are seeking to see how God will use them, listening, praying and sharing their experience. Part of the role includes interviewing and debriefing Serve Asia workers, and it may be through this process that mentoring relationships are established, as returning Serve Asia workers contemplate their next step in mission.
Why are Mission Mentors important? Many people who want to begin their mission journey don’t know where to go for help. If they had a Mission Mentor with cross-cultural knowledge to be a sounding-board it could be invaluable, and help them avoid pitfalls. Sometimes you don’t know what questions to ask. What is it like to live in the tropics? Do I need to go to Bible College first? How do I find out what the opportunities are? A Mission Mentor will be aware of many of the issues involved and where to find answers to questions. A Mission Mentor who is willing to invest their time and pass on cross-cultural knowledge would be a great blessing to someone in their mission journey.
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Prayer Groups Coordinator
A Bridge Asia Prayer Groups Coordinator is passionate about prayer and desires to encourage and resource churches and individuals to engage in prayer for world mission, with a particular focus on the peoples of East Asia. This person has been involved in praying for the world and has seen how God has answered prayer in mission. They have seen how focused and up-todate prayer information is invaluable for informing prayer. A Prayer Groups Coordinator will support and encourage people to join existing OMF prayer groups and will also support new prayer initiatives to encourage more prayer for the work of God in East Asia.
Why are Prayer Group Coordinators important?
Prayer Points:
It is a privilege to pray for the peoples of East Asia, churches, missionaries and non-Christians. It is also a great encouragement to hear and see God answer prayers. Prayer Groups coordinators enable groups to understand how their prayers are influencing the situation in East Asia, resourcing them with up-to-date reports and information. They can also use their experience of meeting God in prayer, to encourage others to pray and join the spiritual battle for the peoples of East Asia. If Bridge Asia is to reach its full potential it needs prayer.
• Please pray that Mission Presenters would find opportunities in their communities to spread their passion for mission. • Please pray that Mission Mentors would develop deep relationships with enquirers as they journey with them in prayer and encouragement. • Please pray for Prayer Groups Coordinators as they encourage and equip mission-minded people to persevere in prayer for God’s great commission. Visit Email
omf.org/uk/bridgeasia Trevor Warner Bridge Asia National Coordinator trevor.warner@omfmail.com
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www.omf.org.uk/events
Events 1–5 September
UCCF FORUM
Come and find us in the HUB https://www.uccf.org.uk/forum/ 5–7 September
Orkney Bible Festival
Look out for OMF http://www.orkneycommunities.co.uk Bible Teaching from Karl Martin 9 September
OMF Bristol Day of Prayer
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10:30am for tea /coffee 11:00am to 3:00pm 174 Redland Road, Bristol BS66YG Contact Charles & Liz Chalmers Phone 01179466211 Email uk.waleswest@omfmail.com 20 September
‘Keep on Keeping On’
Look out for OMF at Women for Mission National Christian Outreach Centre, Perth http://www.freechurch.org/index.php/ scotland/women_for_mission/
3–5 October
18 October
Glenada Holiday & Conference Centre, Newcastle, Co. Down We would love you to join us for a weekend of teaching from God’s Word, testimonies of his work amongst East Asians, prayer, worship, fellowship and space for reflection. Contact Nathaniel Jennings Phone (028) 90731266 / 07935453864 Email nathaniel.jennings@omfmail.com
9:30am – 4:00pm. Redcliffe College, Wotton House, Horton Road, Gloucester GL1 3PT. Book online at www.redcliffe.org/bam Contact Charles Chalmers Phone 01179466211 Email uk.waleswest@omfmail.com
4 October
10:00am – 04:00pm Christ Church, Jubilee Square, Woking, Surrey, GU21 6YG
Mission Heart OMF Ireland Annual Conference
SWAN: Serving As Senders Training Day
9:30am registration, 10:00am – 4:00pm training. St Marks Church, Cheltenham GL51 7AL Contact Jon Phone 07855006317 Email info@swantogether.com
SWAN / Redcliffe College: Missional Business Day Workshop
19 October
WorldChangers event: Who is My Muslim Neighbour?
4 November
Tuesday OMF Bristol Day of Prayer
10:30am for tea /coffee, 11:00am to 3:00pm 174 Redland Road, Bristol BS66YG. Contact Charles & Liz Chalmers Phone 01179466211 Email uk.waleswest@omfmail.com
Darren Wall
8 November
On The Edge– A day exploring how God is reaching those on the margins. 10:00am – 4:00pm St Andrews Street Baptist Church, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB2 3AR Speakers from OMF International, SIM and Wycliffe. Contact Tim Jenkins Phone 07557237039 Email tim.jenkins@omfmail.com 8 November
Glasgow Morning Conference
10:00am – 1:00pm, including lunch The Tron Church, Bath Street Contact Phil & Cathy Steed Email Scotland@omf.org.uk 15 November
Edinburgh Morning Conference Charlotte Chapel
10:00am – 1:00pm, including lunch www.charlottechapel.org Contact Phil & Cathy Steed Email Scotland@omf.org.uk
31 January 2015
Overlooked? – Is the Gospel relevant in Japan?
11:00am – 4:00pm Winchmore Hill Baptist Church, Compton Road, Winchmore Hill, London, N21 3PA Contact Tim Jenkins Phone 07557237039 Email tim.jenkins@omfmail.com
Director for Finance & Corporate Services
Finance ‘manna…something your fathers had never known’
We are grateful to the Lord for his provision of 95 per cent of required funds during the first five months of this year. As mentioned in the last Billions, we anticipated needing to draw on our reserves to supplement income this year, mainly because one of our significant sources of income, legacies, seems unlikely to reach average level this year. However, one of the wonderful truths about the Lord’s provision of manna to the Israelites was that it was ‘something their fathers had never known’ (Deut 8:16). In their wilderness wanderings, the Israelites started to grumble because they couldn’t see how their needs were going to be met. There was nothing they could do to provide for themselves. God, however, graciously provided in a way they could never have predicted. For us too, there are times when we cannot see how the Lord is going to provide. We do have careful finance policies to ensure we are prayerfully taking responsible decisions. Ultimately, however, we are humbled, depending totally upon the Lord to act – sometimes in ways which our ‘fathers had never known’. Although we are faced with some challenging economic circumstances, the Lord is still able to supply what is required, when it is required. Please pray for his provision this year, both through those channels from which we normally receive income, and also through others that are totally unexpected. Actual income Target income
£2411K £2547K
Member Support Gifts General Donations/Other Income Legacies
£1741K £235K £435K
72% 10% 18%
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Prayer is one of the most precious privileges of the Christian faith, but keeping it central is not always an easy task. If you pray regularly for OMF or want to pray more, we’d love to let you know about PrayerMate; a great resource to help organise and fuel your prayers. If you have an Apple or Andriod device you can download the PrayerMate app and keep up to date with daily OMF UK prayer news and news from other Christian organisations. You can also schedule your own prayer points. So next time a friend asks ‘Can you pray for me?’ you can be sure to not forget. Why not try setting up a prayer diary for your small group and all prayer together daily, even if you can’t be together daily!
To download or learn more visit omf.org/uk/prayermate
word alive
reviving hearts renewing minds refreshing lives
28 March–2 April 2015 2 April–6 April 2015 Inspiring Bible teaching, great children’s work and a chance to come together for a relaxing holiday Bookings now open www.wordaliveevent.org